PURSUE THAT WHICH YOU TREASURE
by The Skrutin Sisters
Summary: Two women,sisters,different as day and nightlong thought dead but appearances are deceiving,another–unknown to them yet vital,one prophecyone choice for them all–on choice that shall result in good or evilSBOC,SSOC,CWOCno slash–slightly AU–pl r
1. PROLOGUE: PREDICTION

**PURSUE THAT WHICH YOU TREASURE**

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**PROLOGUE: PREDICTION

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Something dances in the light, basking on a sunny clearing.

Something precious leaves a mark, in a place that lies unseen.

Flawless magic left behind, grows in strength and grows in splendour

And its casters now would find, it has lingered true and just.

-

Rainbow splits the peaceful sky. Cat and serpent dance in bliss.

Come to near to where it lies, nursing on the rainbow's light.

Now it takes them unawares, moulds and twists and shapes and severs

'Til within white magic's lair, something's drifting from the sky.

-

Something new is born this night, born in comfort, trust and joy

Creature formed of magic's might, born to love and mend and save.

Courage no one can achieve, for she lives on hope and courage.

Gathers all to fight for peace, for they are merely strong together.

-

Far more than eternal love, pervaded by good purpose

Living on her own bright light, basking in her dreams unstained.

Something dances in the light, basking on a sunny clearing

Something precious leaves a mark, in a place that lies unseen.

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Something lingers in the dark, waiting in a pool of shadows

Something tainted leaves a mark, in a place that lies unseen,

Crippled magic left behind, grows in strength and grows in evil

And its casters now would find, it has grown foul and obscene.

-

Lightning splits the angry skies. Cat and serpent locked in struggle.

Come too near to where it lies, feeding on the lightning's fire.

Now it takes them unawares, moulds and twists and shapes and severs

'Til within dark magic's lair something raises from the pyre.

-

Something new is born this night, born in hurt and fear and anger

Creature formed of magic's might, born to hate and rend and kill.

Hunger nothing can appease for it feeds on pain and dying

Everything before it flees, lest they be caught by its will.

-

Something more than mortal hate, spoiled like a thing long left dead

Feeding on its own dark rot, basking in its dreams unclean.

Something lingers in the dark, waiting in a pool of shadow

Something tainted leaves a mark in a place that lies unseen.

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Dancing girl,

Raven's child

9th leaf of the calendar

And a song softly hummed

Once upon in September.

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Nature's girl,

Soul unstained

Never knew her father

And a song softly hummed

Once upon in September

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Red-haired elf,

Angel's face

Couples dancing fast

And a song softly hummed

Once upon in September.

-

Mature lass

Sharp in mind

Seeking her place in life

And a song softly hummed

Once upon in September

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In a time when evil endangers to dominate the Island

A threesome of Maidens will come into being

Each armed with a unique gift and personality

Each descended from the same father.

-

The eldest provided with a lion's stout heart

will mature into a brave warrior for freedom, happiness and justice.

She is unaffected by the deadly curse of paralysis.

-

The second one, cursed with a serpent's cunning soul

Will decay into an unscrupulous knight in the Dark Lord's service.

She is protected from the unforgivable killing curse.

-

The youngest is blessed with a raven's sharp mind

Her fate will be determined, as the three of them will join forces.

She is unharmed by the agonizing Cruciatus Curse.

-

Time will tear them apart; individually they will lead their lives.

When they overcome their distance and combine the forces of the lion, the serpent and the raven,

A mighty trinity will emerge and the power of the Dark Lord will prevail or fade.

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Author's Note (by Kaelin):

Well... this is the prediction this whole story builds up upon. It will take some time until it all makes sense soplease keep reading an bear with us. This is our first fanfiction and we're not native speakers so any comment/ review/ criticism is more than welcome. Read and review.


	2. CHAPTER 1: LION AND SERPENT

**PURSUE THAT WHICH YOU TREASURE**

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**CHAPTER 1: LION AND SERPENT**

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Skye Island, 25th of December ´94 

My name is June MacPherson, I'm 33 years old and was born from the night of June 21st to June 22nd; nobody really knows if I was born before or after midnight, but I don't care either.

I am living in a coast town on the Skye Island, west of Scotland close to Eilean Donan Castle, where I raise my twin girls Dawn and Bronwyn. They're twelve years old now and in their second year of Durmstrang Institute. They're good students and I'm glad that I can afford to send them to such a good school, though it means, that I only see them twice a year... Christmas and summer. But I love them more than anything else, thus I what them to have the best education they can get.

Nothing however - not even my endless love for them - can change the fact, that every time I look at them, I'm being reminded of my past, as they resemble their father in appearance and temper...

Nobody can imagine how frustrating it is, when you love someone with all your heart but at the same time you can see a person you hate in said someone's face or reactions.

Dawn and Bronwyn gave me this new diary for Christmas. They told me to write down my secrets, everything I can't share with anybody... which means them. Cause since I've moved here 13 years ago, I haven't made any friends... I never wanted to. We are clearly the only witches in this town... muggles everywhere...

Secrets I can't share... although they are just twelve years old, they're not daft. They know, that I'm hiding things from them... They don't even know who their father is. Once they asked me for his name. I told them to refer to him as "father", but I preferred it if they wouldn't talk about him.

Secrets... my whole life consists of a huge net of secrets, half-truths and lies... my past... the glorious time of my life... the present... a chain of endless, dull days, which seem to keep repeating themselves... ...unless of course my girls are here... the only happy times in the year.

Secrets... Well, my real name is June Malise Malfoy. I'm 33 years old and a ghost, figuratively speaking. I've been "dead" for 13 years. The father of my children caused my demise. My master punished me, because he believed I had betrayed him, when in fact the traitor had been the father of my children... The punishment was severe. Cruciatus over and over again. After what seemed a lifetime, the dark Lord cursed me with Avada Kedavra and I slipped into darkness. Though I survived it, the inner wound – my love's treason – was fatal. He changed sides, thus betrayed everybody around him.

Dawn and Bronwyn have asked me many times about their father and our mutual past... or about my family. Usually I said, that it is not important, that all that counts is, that we have each other. But their questions grew more and more persistent over the years. I was completely aware of the fact, that they deserve to know, but when I finally gave them all the answers, it was as hard for the three of us, as I had expected it to be...

They already knew, that my father had died early. They also knew that I had a sister – Kaelin – who is supposedly dead. I tried to explain to them; how my life had been... that it had been a different time... That's what I finally told them:

When I had graduated from school, I and your father, we went to war. We were young, ambitious and determined to build a better and richer world... for us... for our children. But our dreams were shattered. Our families had started the revolution long before us guided by the dark Lord. Over the time we, the pure blooded families, had turned into a minority. All we wanted to achieve was to secure our position in the magical society. The mudbloods and muggle lovers suppressed us, our righteous place in the world was being withheld from us. But the dark Lord was about to lead us back into the light. We already winced into the warm rays of the sun, when the sky darkened again, as we had been betrayed by one of our closest alleys: Your father, who spied for the others. One of the others was my sister Kaelin. She'd always been the odd one in our family; being sorted into a different house, than the rest of the kin, having mudblood-friends... even a werewolf. The others also had killed my father when I was not even 15 years old.

Ever since the dark Lord vanished, I've been hiding out here, because the Ministry of Magic would put me into Azkaban prison right away, if they knew I'm still alive.

This had been a huge shock for the girls. They had to come to understand that their mother is a wanted felon, their father a traitor. So I tired to give them an idea on how I had felt at that time. I said:

The dark Lord gave us a dream and we believed in him... in us. I still recall that some time before the fateful night we fought against the others and I saw the pride in everybody's eyes to be fighting for our freedom in this land. Though we never thought we could lose, I have no regrets. If I had another chance, I wouldn't hesitate.

At this point I stopped. I didn't tell them what I myself just have an uneasy sense of, because they'd be scared to death. I feel… first it was just a slight feeling, which now grows stronger and stronger, I feel that the world is changing, the darkness surrounding me cleared a little. Something is happening... the dark mark which almost had been gone is now distinct visible. Thus the dark Lord never really died and now after he recovered from the treasury, he will rise again and lead us once more towards the sun.

When the time comes, I'll be prepared to fight and die for you, dark Lord, for my ancestors and my children.

June Malise Malfoy

- - - - - - - - - -

Malfoy Manor, December 25th, 1994

To whom it may concern…

'My life is a perfect graveyard of buried hopes.'

That's a sentence I read once and I say it over to comfort myself in these times that try my soul.

I'm Kaelin. Kaelin Skrutin and I was born some thirty-four years ago. Wow… I never thought that when I would be thirty my life would still be such a mess. Anyway… currently my residence is a bare room somewhere in the basement of my dear cousin's house. Lovely place, really. All bright and inviting… if you're a dark creature. And as I'm the only person within a couple of miles who is not so keen on killing and torturing people one could assume that I'm here against my will… a prisoner so to speak. It's true… I am.

I thought I'd never have to see this wretched house ever again but no... destiny had to interfere with my life yet again. One could think it got tired of tormenting me one day... but no... it never forgets you, it seeks you and no matter how hard you try to escape, it will find you and then you undergo its terrible wrath again.

Now, doesn't that sound depressing?

Okay, let me try to put this in a slightly more objective perspective...

When I was nine years old my parents got divorced. A divorce certainly entails several significant decisions, to be made by the parents, concerning money, property and children… My mother made it inescapably clear that she didn't want to be with me anymore as I was… let me see if I remember the exact words she used… as I was poisoned by impure thoughts, given to me by my father, thoughts that had already fused with my personality and couldn't be detached from my unworthy soul anymore.

She told me that to my face.

My little sister on the other hand was worthy and she moved together with my mother to my uncle's house in England. I remained in Scotland with my father. He suffered because of the separation from his little girl. Don't get me wrong he loved the both of us dearly but not even he could have predicted that my mother made sure that contact between June and us was cut off entirely. He tried not to show his disappointment, anger and grief when we never received an answer to our letters, but I noticed anyway.

It was years later that we found out June had never received a single letter as well and thought that we weren't interested in her anymore.

Major Malfoy conspiracy that was… some things never change, it would seem.

School time… now that's a time that wasn't all bad if you disregard the fights with stupid, pure-blood possessed Slytherins, including my sister, or my father being killed. I found excellent friends there. The best if you ask me… We had so much fun and without them I wouldn't have digested my father's death.

He died when I was fifteen. Killed, murdered by Death Eaters maybe even by some in-laws or the Dark Lord himself. No one knows for sure.

As I was still under-age I was sent to live with my closest relative. Oh joy. My mother was just as thrilled as I was. So I moved to England, into the very same house I'm sitting under right now, however with a different head of the house.

At that time it was my uncle Mortimer… now it's my cousin Lucius. Idiots, the both of them if you ask me. They're alike in appearance and demeanour. Both unbelievably arrogant and sure of themselves. Makes me want to throw up every time I see one of them. Although I must say that my cousin is a real pain in my a compared to my uncle. My uncle kept out of my way. But Lucius… he's getting on my nerves constantly… He knows how to make a girl happy. He always enjoyed torture of any kind.

Slow and sure I'm beginning to believe that he's dissatisfied… in what way, you ask? In every way possible, I answer.

I know… I'm digressing from my actual topic, but it's so easy to get carried away when it comes to them…

So, I had to spend my summer holidays at Malfoy Manor, which was packed with people who hated me. Not that the feeling wasn't mutual, it most definitely was, still, it was not my favourite place to be, and it wasn't the atmosphere I needed after my father died.

I survived those two summers somehow, though.

After I graduated from Hogwarts I didn't go back there and I never intended to do so later on. I moved into a flat in London together with my best friend Lily until she married. I still can't believe that she married the guy she once told that she would rather go out with the giant squid than with him. She hated the Marauders, especially James (that's the one she married in the end. Funny, isn't it?) I didn't mind them… they were fun to be with, all three of them.

But to be honest, I was especially fond of one of them… he was my saviour, my bright light in the dark, my shining star… almost literally. Sirius was the one who always managed to make me feel better, no matter what… the one who understood me and believed in me even when I myself didn't… he was my soul mate, my love. What am I saying? He still is… wherever he is! Why am I talking about in him like he's dead? He's still alive albeit on the run for something he didn't do.

Yet another part of my life I could have done without…

The years leading to graduation and afterwards were particularly shaped by the ongoing war in the Wizarding World. We had known about it, of course, when we were still in school and now we wanted to contribute to the fight against the Dark Lord, as Voldemort became known as. James, Sirius and I decided to become Aurors for the Ministry. We finally wanted to do something. Remus 'wanted' too… yet the stupid blighters at the Ministry didn't allow him to enter Auror training with us because of his condition so he was forced into research. Lily chose research as well.

We all knew what we were getting ourselves into but… I don't think anyone could have prepared us for the things we experienced in this war.

It was definitely not the best precondition to start a family; nevertheless James and Lily affronted all arguments and did just that. They knew that it wasn't the best time or the wisest thing to do considering everything but still they felt that it was the right time for them. They married and Lily got pregnant. They received a little baby boy. He should be about 14 right now… little Harry Potter. He brought joy to a time when joy was rare.

Of course one can guess that it wasn't as great as we all wished it to be. For some reason Voldemort's attention was drawn to little Harry and Lily and James had to go into hiding. Later even that wasn't safe anymore and they decided to perform the Fidelius Charm with Sirius as their Secret Keeper. And that's when the real drama commenced…

It ended the war in the Wizarding World yet the price a comparatively small group of people had to pay was immensely high… too high. Two dead, leaving behind a little son, one locked away in prison for something a so-called friend did, one cursed and unable to come to terms with the loss of people dear to her and one left all alone with no friends.

I went to Godric's Hollow to see for myself that night… not the best idea I'd ever had.

Ten years later I woke up. Entirely disoriented, I rushed out of the building, but not without stealing… borrowing a wand from a nurse. I apparated to Godric's Hollow just to find out that everything I hoped was just a bad dream was true. Now I needed to find out what had happened to Harry, Sirius and Remus. Unfortunately I ran across someone else before I even got the chance to reach the Ministry for information. He, of course, took advantage of my confused state of mind. Who that might have been is not too difficult to guess. Lucius kindly took it upon himself to inform me of everything that had happened in those ten years I was indisposed. I can only hope that he lied about the majority of things… I really hope he did…

Anyway… I've been his prisoner since he picked me up… locked away again, this time in a room instead of my mind… can't say I prefer any of those possibilities. I can't do anything but brood over all that's happened to my friends and me. Now that I've been able to come across a scrap of paper, I can finally dispose of some of my thoughts.

This is really depressing, you know. Sitting in this room, day by day, unable to do anything… but lately things have changed around here. Something's happening out in the world although I do not yet know what it is. I have a vague idea though, taking Lucius' reckless transmission of information into consideration. It's only a matter of time and I'll know for sure. I know that I'm not being guarded as closely as I was in the start and also that I'm not considered an immediate threat anymore.

Maybe this will be my opportunity to escape this hell… and I will seize this chance that's for sure.

Kaelin Skrutin

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Author's Note (by Kaelin): 

So... that was the introduction... Sorry about the very UN - creative title... I hope you liked it anyway. Please Read and Review. Comments as always more than welcome. Oh and a little advice for future chapters... no reviews no new chapter. ;o) so please... just a short one...


	3. CHAPTER 2: IT'S EASIER TO RUN

**PURSUE THAT WHICH YOU TREASURE****

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**CHAPTER 3: IT'S EASIER TO RUN**

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"So… you think that you're the right…" Lucius Malfoy eyed the young man in front of him up and down, an eyebrow raised, "…person for this job?" 

"Yes, sir!" Marcus Flint answered, his voice and composure slightly crumbling under the uncomfortable scrutiny of the Death Eater.

"Well… we'll have to see about that."

Lucius turned around and walked away briskly with Flint at his heels.

"This task is fairly simple… even you should be able to fulfil it. You have to sit in front of a door… that's all… don't touch the door, don't look at the door… I don't even want you to think of the door. Just see to it that no one gets near that door. The door is charmed shut so there is now way it could be opened from the inside."

By now the two men had reached the top of stairs leading into the cellar of Malfoy Manor. Without stopping Lucius hurried down the steps.

"Who is behind the door, sir?"

Lucius stopped abruptly, startling Marcus Flint immensely. He could keep himself from colliding with his new boss just in time so that he was face to face with him, staring into those intense eyes.

"That… is something you don't have to know… and… don't ask any questions. If you are supposed to know something… you can be sure that you're going to be told."

"But sir…"

Flint saw something flash in Lucius' eyes, indicating that he had crossed a line, so he clamped his mouth shut.

"What did I just tell you?"

"No questions, sir."

"From now on you keep that in mind. When I say something I mean it, do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good."

He turned around and they continued descending the stairs in silence. Once down in the cellar Lucius hurried through the ramified corridors, passing by many gloomy rooms, some barred with heavy wooden doors, some with grilles, some bore the crest of the Malfoy Family others the Slytherin serpent. Torches clinging to the walls provided the little light that illuminated the dark passageway yet only flaring up when someone passed. After a while they reached another heavy wooden door with a small trellised window in it. The room was considerably separated from all the others. A brawny man who was obviously irritated by something or someone was sitting in front of it and looked rather relieved when Lucius Malfoy and the novice approached.

"Everything alright here?" Lucius asked the man.

"Certainly, sir. Just the usual sauciness from her."

"Well, I think it would be best to change that considerably soon."

The man inclined his head and then left swiftly. Suddenly a face appeared at the small foramen of the door.

"Aaah, new recruit, dear cousin?"

It was the slightly raspy voice of a woman who was obviously born in Scotland as this very accent seemed to come out naturally.

"Shut up!"

"Tut - tut! Is that any way to treat your own flesh and blood?"

She had obviously pinched a nerve because Lucius angrily charged forth towards the door and struck the bars with his walking stick. When he didn't get the desired effect… the woman inside was laughing… he unsheathed his wand and put it to the keyhole muttering a curse whereupon the woman began screaming in agony.

"I told you to shut the fuck up. That's what you get when you don't listen."

He looked over at Flint, raising his eyebrow again.

"So, there you are, Flint. Do you still think you're equal to the task?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good, so here's some last piece of advice for…"

Lucius clamped his left hand over his right forearm, hissing almost inaudibly.

"Sir?"

"Well, you'll manage. Remember what I told you. I don't tolerate failure." Lucius took a last glance at the door and at Flint then turned around briskly and hurried away even faster than the other guard before.

- - -

June woke up with a start. Her right hand was clenching her left wrist, as it was burning like hell. She wasn't used to the pain anymore not having felt it for several years. But she didn't need to look at her wrist to know what was happening. The dark mark was burning brightly. He was calling for her, for all of them.

As much as June had been looking forward for her master to return, she now hesitated to answer his call immediately. Officially she was dead. If she didn't return, nobody would wonder. She wouldn't put her children into any danger especially not into the danger of losing their mother. June scowled at herself.

The only reason, you are suddenly avoiding returning, is him. Dawn and Bronwyn have been growing up without any privileges so far. Do you really want to deny them the right to live in the wizarding society above those who are holding sway unjustifiably right now? Are you going to stand aside watching your kin being neglected and mistreated? Are you going to forget about everything you believe in, just because you are uneasy to see your former fiancé again? If he even shows up. It's highly unlikely that he will. He might be a traitor, but he's not a half-wit. He wouldn't risk returning, when he knows that I… hold on… he doesn't know… he might actually come and my first possibility to show my devotion to the dark Lord will be to tell him the truth. He will be punished for all the wrongs he did to me.

Slightly smiling she got up and went to an old oak trunk standing underneath the window. She opened it and threw the clothes inside onto her bed. Then she changed quickly. When she was done, she scrutinized herself in the mirror.

Everything she was wearing had been made of black leather except for her dark purple pants and the low cut long sleeve shirt of the same colour. Over said shirt she was wearing a waistcoat whose front parts did not meet in the middle but were adorned by four silver snakes on each side. Shin-guards were attached to her boots and gloves leaving her fingertips free were visible under her protectors for her forearms. A belt fastened around her waist was holding her wand and an 11 inches long knife.

June threw her cloak around her shoulders, and then frowned at herself, as she thought, that she suddenly was looking old… maybe too old to fight. When the grandfather clock in the living room downstairs struck nine times, she instantly remembered the last time, when she had worn these clothes…

- - -

flashback

The grandfather clock in the living room downstairs struck nine times, when June freed herself gently out of her fiancé's arms and got up. While she was dressing, he stirred slightly and opened his eyes.

"Where are you going?" he asked drowsily.

"On business."

He suddenly looked very alarmed and ill at ease.

"Don't worry! Nothing I can't handle."

June tried to calm him down.

"For once in your life June listen to me. I've got a bad feeling about this, whatever it is. Stay here! Let the others do the job."

"What's wrong, dear? You've been acting strangely the last couple of days… rather weeks." She laughed his worries off.

"I just don't want to loose you. That's all."

"Listen," June answered, "it's the easiest job in the world. Two old people, very old people… not much resistance. Almost no risk at all."

He sighed with resignation.

"Be careful, you understand? If there's any sign of a problem, get the hell away!"

"Don't worry. I'll be back before you can say "Philosopher Stone". And then, you're in for a surprise."

June leaned forward and kissed him.

"A big surprise! Love you."

Having said this she whirled out of the room.

End flashback

- - - -

June shook her head to get out of the trance she was in.

Get yourself together, girl. You have to do this now for Dawn, for Bronwyn!

With that thought on her mind she apparated to the graveyard. Only seconds later she was standing among many others who advanced towards their former master cautiously. Latter had, as June had expected, returned to his body. Like every other Death Eater June dropped to her knees, crawled towards the dark Lord and kissed the hem of his robes. Then they all backed away again and formed the traditional circle around him. When June looked around, she saw that the circle had huge gaps. She had known of a lot who had been sent to Azkaban prison, but there were more missing.

Slimy, mangy coward! June's face was full of loathing for the man she was thinking of.

"Welcome, Death Eaters," The dark Lord said and she refocused on him.

Though he probably just had performed the ritual, he didn't seem weak at all. His cruelty shone from his red eyes, while he was giving his speech. He punished Avery for asking for forgiveness; he rewarded Wormtail for his help and approached several Death Eaters to confront them about their lack of loyalty and faith. June was surprised, when he just passed her without saying a word whereas others got the full blast of his anger.

Wouldn't it be logical to confront the person, who you believe has betrayed you, first? Maybe he already knows the truth.

Having reached the largest gap of all, the dark Lord gazed at it a short while, as though he could see people standing there. Then he turned around and announced:

"One, too cowardly to return… he will pay. One, who I believe has left me for ever… he will be killed, of course… and one, who remains my most faithful servant, and who has already re-entered my service. He's at Hogwarts, that faithful servant, and it was through his efforts that our young friend arrived tonight."

While the dark Lord went on talking to his followers, June's thoughts trailed off. By the time her cousin Lucius asked how the dark Lord had managed to return to his body, June wasn't paying attention at all anymore.

Who is too cowardly to return, who has left forever and who is the most faithful servant? Severus is at Hogwarts, but it can't be him. Why would he have pretended to be on the other side?

- - -

Flashback

While fighting Sirius, June saw her fellow Death Eaters being stunned and one even killed. She let out a howl of wrath, seized her knife and lashed out at Sirius, who jumped back just in time, so that she only pierced his skin a little. June turned around, wanting to run, as she saw that the others were superior in numbers, but she found herself face to face with her sister Kaelin, who had stunned her opponent and left him in the care of another Auror, so that she was free to help Sirius.

"June, give me your wand and the knife!" Kaelin said.

"Why don't you come and get them?" June replied, but Kaelin didn't move. Instead she kept looking at June steadily, who raised her left eyebrow and grinned slightly, daring her sister to make a move.

"Sucks, doesn't it?"

June whirled around.

"What are you talking about Black? I've never had more fun in my life!"

"Do you think we just happen to be here?"

June shot him a confused look, when a hooded figure moved to her right side, so that she now was almost encircled.

"Black, shut up! June, give me your wand and your knife!"

June jerked, lost her footing and bumped into Sirius, who immediately seized her wand and knife, then pushed her towards the hooded man. He caught her before she fell to the ground, but she freed herself at once. By now everybody, who was not watching the prisoners, had stepped closer, forming a circle, from which June couldn't escape. The man took off his hood and said:

"June, please don't put up any resistance!"

"No", she whispered, "it can't be you!"

Snape took a step towards her, extending his hand to her.

"June, calm down! I don't want to hurt you…"

"Don't touch me!"

She yelled, hitting his outstretched hand. Then she ran toward him and started beating his chest.

"How long, Severus, how long? And why? Why? WHY? You destroyed everything: You just signed my death warrant!"

"June, calm down! Nobody is going to hurt you. You will have to face justice, yes, but you are not going to die!" Kaelin tried to interfere. "I am going to help you as much as I can, if you change sides!"

"Change sides? I'd rather rot in Azkaban than deceive my real family, like he did!"

June hissed pointing her head in Snape's direction.

"Kaelin, I told you; once a Death Eater, always a Death Eater! She's not worth the effort! Let's bring her and the others to the Ministry, so they can get what they deserve!" Mad Eye Moody snarled.

"I never said I would go with you!" June said slightly grinning again.

"As we've got your wand and since you are outnumbered I don't see how you could possibly resist." Mad Eye Moody answered smiling smugly, but June had already turned to Snape. "Severus, I curse the day we met!" And with that she was gone, leaving her clothes on the ground in a small pile.

End flashback

- - -

The dark Lord's assertion, "Now untie him, Wormtail, and give him back his wand!" made June snap out of her pondering. This was certainly going to be amusing.

The dark Lord was playing with the boy for a while using the Cruciatus curse. Up to this point June had been laughing quite a bit, but her smirk froze on her face, when the boy managed to resist the Imperio curse. When the dark Lord wanted to teach him a lesson in obedience, the boy jumped behind a gravestone hiding.

June sniggered about the dark Lord's comments and the boy's pathetic behaviour. As she saw it one was supposed to face death standing when it came and not crawl on the ground before it. It was a huge surprise for her, when the boy just did that. He threw himself around the gravestone attacking the dark Lord with a minor disarming spell, whereas the latter used the killing curse. June was already about to acclaim the final triumph over the boy, when she saw that the two spells connected in mid-air.

The other Death Eaters were confused just like June and their confusion was on the edge of turning into panic when the two opponents suddenly were lifted into the air and glided away from the graveyard towards a piece of ground that was without graves. There a golden light surrounding the two made it impossible for June to see what exactly was going on, so she was yelling like everybody else to the dark Lord to tell her what to do.

It seemed like a lifetime until the connection was finally broken and the boy was running away. June followed him right away sending curses after him, but he knocked her out using the impedimenta curse and thus making her collide with a gravestone.

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Author's Note (by Kaelin): 

Finally some action... or dialogue. Any comments? Please Read and Review our story... take a minute as we also take some time to write it.


	4. CHAPTER 3: THE LION ESCAPES

**PURSUE THAT WHICH YOU TREASURE****

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**CHAPTER 3: THE LION ESCAPES**

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Breathe in and breathe out… in and out… in and out… Simple but effective. The moment the pain eases and becomes bearable is always a pleasure. Your breathing returns to normal, your head isn't swimming anymore, the buzzing in your ears dies away, you start to recognize your surroundings again and realise that it's all quiet outside… all quiet? 

Kaelin sat up abruptly only to fall back down onto her back again, almost blacking out once more. Rule No.1: Don't move too fast too soon, dummy!

"Pain… ow ow ow ow ow" she moaned, holding her head in her hands.

Quiet! It was quiet. But why? No loud laughter, no spiteful comments or preparations for more torture… strange and most unusual. How long had she been out of it? Certainly not that long. It was not like Lucius at all… to let a good ol' torturing session go just like that. What was going on here?

'Well, you won't find out lying on the floor, will you?' the part of her mind that was already functioning piped up.

Slowly Kaelin first sat up and then with the support of one of the walls pulled herself into a standing position. Although she was a little unsteady on her feet she willed herself to find out what was going on. And besides… distraction from the pain was essential… don't get lost in it, because then you don't stand a chance… you've lost.

During Auror training all those little advices seemed so unreal and far-fetched but during active duty you find that there's always some truth in it all. And no one ever said it was easy. What an understatement.

With some difficulty, Kaelin moved over to the heavy door and peeked through the small trellised window. There in front of her cell was… was… someone she didn't know reading a… a book? He looked young… too young to be allowed to guard her all alone. Lucius was squeamishly making sure that she was guarded properly and now… maybe this finally was her chance… there was only one way to find out.

"What'cha reading?" she asked through the grills.

"Nothing!" he growled back.

'Ah. He IS new!' she thought. Lucius always gave explicit instruction NOT to talk to the prisoners. Maybe even the 'getting on his nerves' way could work. Oh, that would be so much fun.

"Liar." She said, adopting a singsong voice.

"Bugger off!"

"Can't do that, sorry. No entertainment around here, except for you. If you could get me a deck of cards or a copy of Witch Weekly though, I might leave you alone."

"Shut up or I'll make you feel really uncomfortable."

Getting there! This was going to be easier than she thought.

"Uuuh, a threat. Now you have to tell me how you're going to achieve that… for effect, you see. I'm terribly curious, too."

She tried to suppress a giggle.

"Curiosity kills the cat."

"Wow, you're really good at this. I'm almost frightened."

Marcus Flint turned his back to the prisoner, obviously trying hard not to loose his patience.

"Don't stop now!"

Now he even started ripping pages from his book. A small pile of parchment was rapidly growing at his feet. 'Just a little more and I'll have him!' Suppressing a grin was now growing to be a huge effort.

"Come on, little one. The book didn't do anything. Didn't your mother teach you how to treat your own things?"

Her young guard turned his head and growled over his shoulder.

"I'm an adult. My mother doesn't tell me anything anymore."

"I see. So you already graduated from Hogwarts, aye?"

"Yeah, don't have to see that shithole ever again. I would have rather attended Durmstrang, but my mother…"

"… didn't want you to be so far away from home. Merlin, parents can be so overprotective, can't they?"

"The only fun thing to do there was Quidditch. Beating up kids without detention. Till my fifth year anyway…"

"You've been defeated then, huh? By someone who's better than you, by someone who's younger, by a mudblood." Chapter 10: How to behave when captured. Unit No. 5… or was it 6? Try to get as many information as you can, even if you can't use them immediately. Why not try to find out something about Harry. If the boy just graduated he should have been at Hogwarts the same time as Harry.

"Shut up bitch!"

What could have possibly possessed Lucius to leave this young man alone with her? Something must have happened. He had never left a new guard without any instructions… EVER. She had been too preoccupied with trying to breathe to realise what was happening outside.

"Harry kicked your Slytherin asses, didn't he?"

"Keep your trap shut!" Flint yelled.

'Well, Harry's alive… that's something!'

He jumped up, ran towards the cell, his wand raised, his arm outstretched towards her… HER… not the keyhole!

'YES, rookie mistake!' she thought, 'it's now or never!'

"Cru…" Flint began, but before he could even finish the curse, Kaelin stretched her arm through the grills grabbing Flint's wrist. She twisted the tip of the wand away from her to him.  
"Stupefy!" The guard was completely taken by surprise and crumbled onto the floor. Luckily he loosened his grip on the wand for Kaelin to take it without difficulty. 

"Alohomora!" Nothing happened. "Alohomora!" Stunning had worked just fine but the stupid door just wouldn't budge. "Oh, for Merlin's sake… Reducto!" The door was blasted out of its hinges and luckily landed right next to Flint's stunned body. After all she didn't intend to kill the boy.

However Kaelin hid in the dark for a moment as she expected at least 30 Death Eaters to wait for her outside. Someone must have heard the explosion… but nothing… this was definitely too easy. Cautiously she stepped out of the cell, looking around into the deserted corridors.

She shrugged her shoulders.

Then she turned towards the stunned guard on the floor and looked at him for a moment, her head slightly bent. Briefly shaking her head she took his feet and pulled him into her former cell with some difficulty due to her injuries…

"Yet again beaten by a Gryffindor. You know, this mistake you just made proves to me that you still have so much to learn. But don't worry… your mistakes just make you wiser. It's a shame really… that I can't stay and see Lucius' reaction. Oh well… Bye greenhorn… thanks and good luck!"

Kaelin turned around and vanished through the dark corridors towards freedom.

- - - - - - - -

All Death Eaters were waiting for the dark Lord to calm down, when June woke up. She stroked the back of her throbbing head and realised that when she had collided with the gravestone earlier on she had caught a gash which was bleeding heavily.

"You wait until I get my hands on you, you glaikit scrote! Stupid brat!" June grouched gnashing her teeth.

"June Malise Skrutin, I wish to talk to you!" The dark Lord suddenly hissed making June's stomach turn. She had known that this conversation was inevitable, that it would set her path into the future. One wrong answer could end her life… this time for good. There was however another thing that cost every Death Eater's life: disobedience. At the moment the dark Lord was in such a mood, that he would understand even the slightest hesitation as disobedience. So June walked over to him. She didn't walk too fast, because she didn't want to make him think that she was afraid of his voice, walking too slow however could have had the same result.

"How is it that I killed you, yet you're still alive?"

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flashback

June had been living in a cave for a couple of days. She was hiding from the Order and Snape, but the person she was really afraid to face was the dark Lord, as she feared that he would not only punish her for her failure, but also consider her a traitor. Up till now it had been impossible to think of Snape as a traitor, so if she would tell the dark Lord the truth, he would think, she was trying to blame somebody else. She also knew that in her condition, she probably would not survive, if he found her. Even if she did, she was damn sure that the child, she was bearing had no chance at all. So she stayed most of the time in the shape of a snake hoping it would be harder for the dark Lord to sense her. She didn't dare to go into the village nearby to steal food, so she fed on rats and other small animals, which lived in the forest, where the cave was located, praying it would not harm her child.

She had felt the dark mark burning twice in the past few days and had assumed that he had summoned his followers who were now looking for her. It was only a matter of time until one of the searching parties would find her and either she was to go to Azkaban prison or die. The longer June thought about her possibilities, the more she felt the urge to turn herself in. That way the dark Lord would not doubt her loyalty. Moreover her child would have a better chance to survive. But there was one thought which stopped her: What sense would it make to be born, if you were taught the wrong beliefs?

Three more days passed. On the morning of the fourth day Lucius entered the cave. June, who was transformed into a snake, watched him from a corner. Carefully he searched every bit of the cave, then turned around and yelled:

"She's not here!"

"She must be there, I can sense her."

An only too well-known voice answered and a hooded figure appeared at the entrance. The dark Lord muttered an incantation which forced June to reveal herself.

"I told you, she was here, didn't I, Lucius? Hiding out of fear of my revenge, that pathetic fool of your cousin."

"My Lord…" June started to say.

"Quiet, you will only speak when spoken to!"

While he was saying this, he waved his wand slightly and an invisible fist punched June into the face making her stumble back a few feet almost loosing her balance.

"It is obvious, that you not only failed to complete your mission, but also, seeing that you are the only one who got away, yet never returned to me, are the one who told my plan to the Order. How else is it possible, that they were informed?"

Snape is the traitor, Snape is the traitor, was the only thing, June was able to think at that moment, but she didn't dare to say this as she knew what happened to the wicked.

"Please, my Lord…" she started saying, yet was interrupted by the dark Lord right away.

"Oh, have we already arrived at the begging part of this conversation?"

"My Lord, it wasn't me. They were looking for me all over the country; I am wounded, without a wand…"

June didn't even see the dark Lord waved his wand, but within a second she fell to the ground writhing and shrieking in agony. The pain inflicted upon her by the Cruciatus curse filled up her entire mind. She was trying to fight it, trying to control her members, but she didn't succeed. So she gave in to the pain, unable to think or do anything. Her master's laughter and her own screams echoed in her head until it felt like it was about to burst.

As quickly as the pain had come upon her it also stopped. June was lying on the floor gasping. Her members were limp and sore. The dark Lord was looking down on her, then he suddenly spit on her.

"And this pathetic being I once considered to be one of my strongest and most faithful followers. June Malise Malfoy, you don't even deserve this name. June Malise Skrutin, that's how we are going to call you from now on. Your sister already brought disgrace to that name so it fits you quite well."

Again the curse hit June unprepared with full force. Her mind went blank again, the only thought, which filled her mind, was the one of pain. After some time it was replaced however by another thought or rather hope. She wanted to die if she would not have to endure the pain any longer. When the pain ceased as sudden as the first time, June again was lying panting on the floor. But she knew that she had to move. She had to convince the dark Lord that she was telling the truth. She had to survive; she had to save her child, if it was not too late already. So she forced her numb limbs to move. The dark Lord was watching her, obviously amused by her efforts, until she finally was kneeling before him. She bent her head like a subject before the king addressing him. Her voice just came out in a hoarse whisper.

"My Lord, I have never betrayed you. I beg you; please give me the opportunity to prove myself worthy. I will detect the true traitor for you and deliver him within a couple of days."

When she had finished, June looked up at her master, waiting for his decision. But he shook his head.

"Your slyness may have saved your neck before, but today is the day when your lucky streak ends. Any last words?"

"I am with child. Please, my Lord?"

But the dark Lord waved his wand slightly and June slipped into darkness.

end flashback

- - - - - - - -

"Tell me", he repeated, "How is it that I killed you, yet you are still alive?"

"I don't know!" June answered trying to keep her voice steady.

"How is it", he continued, "that I killed you, yet you return to me?"

June felt how close he was to loose his patience. Therefore she replied "Devotion!" and bent her head like a subject addressing the king.

"Explain!" he ordered.

This was the point when she had a small chance of convincing him that her loyalty had never wavered. She knew if she didn't succeed she wouldn't live much longer. So she tried to explain herself as good as possible.

"I deserved to be punished. If I hadn't failed that night, you would be immortal by now. I delayed your plans, because I misjudged the situation."

His red eyes were scrutinizing her face pondering, judging.

"You could have turned against me! May be you did."

A wave of panic washed down her back, as it seemed that she was not convincing enough.

"No, why should I? You never betrayed me, they did! We're still fighting on the same side!"

He cocked his head looking at her as if to challenge her. "Prove it!"

June inhaled deeply and demanded.

"Give me a chance and I will!"

To June's relief the dark Lord slightly nodded his head.

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Yet another Author's Note by Kaelin (Juneand Cheryare not here so it's my job):

A little action, a little Voldemort... a lot more coming, if you review... We're waiting...


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